803  
FXUS65 KBYZ 192231  
AFDBYZ  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT  
431 PM MDT WED AUG 19 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
- BRIEF RETURN OF SMOKE AND HAZY SKIES TODAY.  
 
- DRIER CONDITIONS TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY.  
 
- SEASONAL TEMPS IN THE 80S TO LOWER 90S THE REST OF THE WEEK.  
INCREASING CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION OVER THE WEEKEND.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY...  
 
A WEAK RIDGE OVER THE PACIFIC NW IS SET TO MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE  
REGION OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS BRINGING WARM AND MOSTLY DRY  
CONDITIONS. SMOKE IS EXPECTED TO SLIGHTLY INCREASE TODAY ACROSS  
SOUTHEAST MT, BUT IMPACTS TO THE SURFACE WILL BE MINIMAL. WEAK  
ENERGY RIDING OVER THE RIDGE WILL PROVIDE SMALL PRECIPITATION  
CHANCES FOR AREA MOUNTAINS THURSDAY EVENING (LESS THAN 10%). INTO  
SATURDAY, TROUGHING BEGINS TO MOVE UP INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,  
PUTTING THE REGION INTO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND SOUTHEASTERLY AT  
THE LOWER LEVELS. WEAK ENERGY MOVING UP THROUGH SOUTHWEST FLOW AS  
WELL AS INCREASING ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE LOOKS TO BRING LOW TO  
MODERATE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON  
AND EVENING. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY ON THE COVERAGE OF THESE  
THUNDERSTORMS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LACK OF FORCING. WITH ENSEMBLES  
SHOWING PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES BEING 100-200% OF NORMAL, IT  
WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH. AS TROUGHING MOVES THROUGH THE  
NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE SUNDAY, ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND  
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED. WITH BREEZY CONDITIONS EXPECTED WITH  
THESE FRONTAL PASSAGES AND DRYING BEHIND THE FRONT SUNDAY, TIMING  
WILL BE SOMETHING TO WATCH, ESPECIALLY FOR POTENTIAL FIRE WEATHER  
CONCERNS. SMALL CHANCES FOR AFTERNOON SHOWERS EXIST FOR MOUNTAINS  
ALONG THE MT/WY BORDER AS MONSOONAL MOISTURE WORKS ITS WAY IN  
UNDER WEAK RIDGING EARLY NEXT WEEK. AROUND SEASONAL TEMPERATURES  
IN THE 80S TO LOW 90S WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE PERIOD. TS  
   
AVIATION
 
 
00Z TAF DISCUSSION...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE NEXT 36  
HOURS. THERMAL WIND GUSTS THIS AFTERNOON TO 25KTS WILL QUICKLY  
TAPE OFF 00-02Z. AN AREA OF MODERATE SMOKE CONCENTRATION OVER  
NORTHERN MONTANA WILL SAG SOUTH INTO OUR AREA THROUGH TONIGHT,  
DIMINISHING AS IT DOES SO. EXPECT SLANT RANGE VISIBILITY  
RESTRICTIONS TO INCREASE TONIGHT, BUT AT THIS TIME SURFACE  
VISIBILITY REDUCTIONS BELOW 6SM ARE NOT ANTICIPATED. SMOKE  
CONCENTRATION SHOULD CONTINUE TO DIMINISH DURING THE DAY THURSDAY.  
CHAMBERS  
 

 
   
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS
 
 
THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
BIL 059/093 063/091 064/090 064/093 061/087 061/089 062/091  
00/K 00/U 01/B 21/B 20/U 11/B 21/B  
LVM 050/093 056/093 056/087 054/087 050/085 050/086 051/087  
00/U 00/U 04/T 53/T 11/U 22/T 42/T  
HDN 055/094 059/093 061/094 061/096 058/089 057/091 058/093  
00/K 00/U 01/B 21/B 20/U 11/B 21/B  
MLS 059/091 062/090 062/091 066/096 063/088 060/089 062/092  
00/K 00/U 00/B 21/B 10/U 00/U 21/U  
4BQ 060/092 063/093 063/090 066/094 063/089 061/089 062/092  
00/K 00/B 01/B 42/W 20/U 11/B 11/U  
BHK 055/090 057/091 055/088 060/091 058/089 055/089 056/091  
00/K 00/B 00/N 32/T 20/U 11/U 11/B  
SHR 053/091 058/092 058/091 060/091 056/087 055/088 055/090  
00/U 00/U 01/B 22/T 11/U 12/T 11/B  
 

 
   
BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
MT...NONE.  
WY...NONE.  
 

 
 

 
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